Osaka’s Kita Ward: Aya Ueto Appears on Stage! On December 14th, the First Projection Mapping Screening Ceremony for ‘OSAKA Renaissance of Light 2025’ Was Held at Osaka City Central Public Hall.

“OSAKA Light Renaissance 2025” is a large-scale, public light art festival planned for Osaka, Japan, in 2025. It is designed to coincide with and celebrate the city’s hosting of the 2025 World Expo, transforming urban spaces with illuminations and projections. The event aims to showcase cutting-edge technology and creative design, drawing on Osaka’s modern identity as a vibrant, forward-looking metropolis.

The Nakanoshima area is a slender, island-like district in central Osaka, formed between the Dojima and Tosabori rivers. Historically developed during the Edo period as a commercial hub, it later became Osaka’s modern administrative and cultural center in the early 20th century, known for landmarks like the Osaka City Hall and the Nakanoshima Library. Today, it is a prominent business district with parks, museums, and striking examples of Western-inspired Meiji and Taishō-era architecture.

Kita Ward is a special ward located in northern Tokyo, Japan, historically developed as a key transportation and logistics hub. Its history is marked by the establishment of major railway stations like Ueno and Tabata, and it is home to significant cultural sites such as the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park. Today, it blends residential neighborhoods with commercial areas and remains a major gateway to northern Japan.

Osaka City is a major port and commercial hub in western Japan, historically known as the nation’s merchant capital during the Edo period (1603-1868). It is famed for landmarks like Osaka Castle, originally built in the 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and its vibrant modern districts such as Dotonbori, which showcase the city’s enduring culture of street food, entertainment, and commerce.

The Osaka City Central Public Hall is a historic red-brick building completed in 1918, funded by a donation from local industrialist Einosuke Iwamoto to commemorate Emperor Taisho’s enthronement. Designed in a Neo-Renaissance style, it has served as a prominent civic venue for lectures, concerts, and cultural events for over a century. It is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan, symbolizing Osaka’s modern development during the Taisho era.

The Kansai dialect, or Kansai-ben, is a group of Japanese dialects spoken in the Kansai region of Japan, including cities like Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. Historically, it developed from the language of the ancient capital regions and was the dominant prestige dialect during the Edo period when Osaka was the commercial center. Today, it is widely recognized for its distinct intonation, vocabulary, and grammar, and is frequently used in comedy, television, and theater, giving it a strong cultural identity within Japan.